TY  - JOUR
A1  - Vignon-Zellweger, Nicolas
A1  - Relle, Katharina
A1  - Rahnenfuehrer, Jan
A1  - Schwab, Karima
A1  - Hocher, Berthold
A1  - Theuring, Franz
T1  - Endothelin-1 overexpression and endothelial nitric oxide synthase knock-out induce different pathological responses in the heart of male and female mice
JF  - Life sciences : molecular, cellular and functional basis of therapy
N2  - Aims: The nitric oxide and endothelin systems are key components of a local paracrine hormone network in the heart. We previously reported that diastolic dysfunction observed in mice lacking the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS-/-) can be prevented by a genetic overexpression of ET-1. Sexual dimorphisms have been reported in both ET-1 and NO systems. Particularly, eNOS-/- mice present sex related phenotypic differences.
 Main methods: We used the ET-1 transgenic (ET+/+), eNOS-/-, and crossbred ET+/+ eNOS-/- mice, and wild type controls. We measured cardiac function by heart catheterization. Cardiac ventricles were collected for histological and molecular profiling.
 Key findings: We report here that (i) the level of ET-1 expression in eNOS-/- mice was elevated in males but not in females. (ii) Left ventricular end-diastolic blood pressure was higher in male eNOS-/- mice than in females. (ii) eNOS-/- males but not females developed cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. (iv) Perivascular fibrosis of intra-cardiac arteries developed in female ET+/+ and eNOS-/- mice but not in males. Additionally, (v) the cardiac expression of metalloprotease-9 was higher in eNOS-/- males compared to females. Finally, (vi) cardiac proteome analysis revealed that the protein abundance of the oxidative stress related enzyme superoxide dismutase presented with sexual dimorphism in eNOS-/- and ET+/+ mice.
 Significance: These results indicate that the cardiac phenotypes of ET-1 transgenic mice and eNOS knockout mice are sex specific. Since both systems are key players in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, our findings might be important in the context of gender differences in patients with such diseases. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
KW  - Endothelin-1
KW  - Nitric oxide
KW  - Cardiac function
KW  - Sexual dimorphism
Y1  - 2014
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2013.12.003
SN  - 0024-3205
SN  - 1879-0631
VL  - 118
IS  - 2
SP  - 219
EP  - 225
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Oxford
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Vignon-Zellweger, Nicolas
A1  - Rahnenführer, Jan
A1  - Theuring, Franz
A1  - Hocher, Berthold
T1  - Analysis of cardiac and renal endothelin receptors by in situ hybridization in mice
JF  - Clinical laboratory : the peer reviewed journal for clinical laboratories and laboratories related to blood transfusion
N2  - Background: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a multifunctional peptide, which is implicated in the renal and cardiac physicology as well as in many pathologies of these systems. ET-1's actions take place after the activation of two receptors: ETA and ETB. The expression of these receptors may be modulated during the pathologic process. The analysis of the distribution and level of expression of the receptors in animal models is therefore crucial.
 Methods: We developed a protocol for non-radioactive in situ hybridization for the mRNA of the two endothelin receptors on paraffin-embedded tissue using digoxigenin-labeled RNA probes.
 Results: In heart and kidney, the staining was reliable and specific. In a mouse model for endothelin/nitric oxide imbalance, cardiac ETB expression was reduced. The distribution of the receptors was in accordance with the actual knowledge. Differences in cell specific expression are discussed.
 Conclusions: We developed a protocol for the in situ hybridization of the endothelin receptors in mice. Given that the endothelin system is implicated in the development of many diseases, we believe that this protocol may be useful for a number of future preclinical studies.
KW  - Endothelin-1
KW  - endothelin receptors
KW  - in situ hybridization
KW  - mouse
Y1  - 2012
U6  - https://doi.org/10.7754/Clin.Lab.2012.120216
SN  - 1433-6510
VL  - 58
IS  - 9-10
SP  - 939
EP  - 949
PB  - Clin Lab Publ., Verl. Klinisches Labor
CY  - Heidelberg
ER  -